PM airs concern over sanitation coverage

8220;I am told that 20 of the toilets built in our country are not functional because of various factors, from poor construction to lack of adequate maintenance,8221; said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an honest admission before delegates from seven other South Asian countries 8212; Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

8220;In India, we have worked hard to correct the neglect of the past in this vital area,8221; the PM said about the Government8217;s focus on extending sanitation facilities in rural areas.

Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who took over the chairmanship of the third SACOSAN on Tuesday, said the country had substantially increased its sanitation coverage over the past four years with enhanced investment in the area.

8220;With increasing focus in this area, India has increased sanitation coverage from 27 per cent in 2004 to 57 per cent of population in 2008,8221; said Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, who came in for some praise from the PM for his initiative.